Apparatus for applying helically-wound insulation to cables



Dec; 2, 1924. 1,517,818

C. J. BEAVER APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HELICALLY WOUND INSULATION TO CABLES Filed March 11, 1924 i lfi'yi F552 5 W 15 WW? am Jmzes ima e/.-

115 4115 aubmev Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHAR-LES JAMES BEAVER, OF HALE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 T. GLOVER AND COM- PANY LIMITED, 01? TRAFIEORD IPARK, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HELICALLY-YVOUND INSULATION 'IO CABLES.

Application filed March 11, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES JAMEs BEAVER, residing at I-Iale, Cheshire, England, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented a certain new and useful Apparatus for Applying I-lelically-lVound Insulation to Cables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to apparatu for making long lengths of flexible electric cables where the insulation consists of helically wound strips.

In one method of making such cables recently adopted or published the intervening stretch of a cable conductor which is being wound off of a drum and rewound on another drum is caused to travelthrough an elongated trough containing impregnating compound and at the same time to rotate on its axis, and in so doing to wind on itself'helically while travelling through the trough strips of paper drawn from nonrevoluble bobbins or lapping heads located above the trough thus effecting a lapping and impregnating of the paper strips in the same operation.

Known apparatus for the purpose of manufacturing such cables comprises an elongated trough arranged co-axially between two synchronously driven rotating frames carrying respectively the delivery and take up drums for the conductor with means for driving the drums, stationary bobbins from which the paper strips were drawn, and means for supplying liquid compound to the trough. I

It is important in making cables by means of such apparatus, firstly to ensure that the conductor in the course of its travel through the trough shall not be drawn or deflected by the tension in the strips of paper, or otherwise to any appreciable extent, out of a straight course and it is the object of this invention to secure that end so far as possible.

According to the invention there is formed and used in connection with apparatus of the type nature aforesaid, a guide or series of guides to prevent the conductor from be ing deflected out of a straight course when travelling through the trough, such guide or guides having a suitable means of attachment direct or indirect to the trough and being of suitable shape so as not to interfere with the strips being drawn from Serial No. 694,434.

the bobbins or lapping heads. Preferably theguides consist of a series of units of rollers located at intervals along the trough, each unit containing three barrel sha ed rollers equi-spaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the line of travel or the axis of the conductor and preferably also (under some resilientagency) exerting pressure radially towards the axis of the conductor on the lapped-on paper, and each roller exerting like pressure.

In the accompanying drawings is shown an example of the invention. Fig. 1 is a section across the trough showing in position a guide unit consisting of three rollers and Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of Fig. 1.

a is the trough through which the conductor :0 to be wound with the insulating tapes 9.3 is passed. This trough has along one side a flange a and projected along the bottom of a'rail of; b is a carriage or frame to support a. unit of rollers having its end 6 formed as an upturnv U to stretch across the side of the trough and shaped to correspond with the flange a This carriage has a threaded hole through its outer member traversed by a screw 6 which impinges on the side of the trough so that the carriage can be fixed at any position along the trough. A part of the carriage extends from the U-shaped end inwards towards the centre of the trough and then a part extends in skeleton form downwards and under the conductor. This part has formed on it a projection Z) to engage the rail 64 The impinging surfaces of the rail a and projection b are inclined as shown. 6 Z) and b are three rollers whose axes are supported respectively by arms or brackets Z2 6 and b". Each of these arms or brackets is pivotally hinged at Z2 I) and Z2 and they are geared or connected together, as to b and b by means of the toothed sectors Z2 and 6 and as to 6 and Z2 by means of the connecting rod with the result that 011 moving the arms or brackets about their pivot hinges 6 Z9 and o all of the rollers approach to, or recede from the conductor synchronously. (Z is a vertical rod moving in guides and having attached thereto projecting jaws al which engage the pin (Z on one of the sectors so that the movement upwards or downwards of the rod at will cause the roller 1) and by means of the connections described the rollers b and b to approach to or recede from the conductor. d" is a handle pivotally hinged to the rod d at (Z and having a cam project-ion (i (Z is a helical spring reacting between a seating attached to the carriage at the top and a seating or shoulder on the rod at the bottom, Normally the action of the spring is to cause the rollers to approach to the conductor and in addition to guiding the conductor to put pressure on, the paper lappings.

By pulling over the handle 03 the rod (13 (by action of the cam (Z on the flat part of the carriage), is lifted against the reaction of the spring and on the deepest point of the cam being passed will remain lifted, and hence the rollers will be caused to recede from and will remain at a distance from the conductor.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for making long lengths of flexible electric cables where the insulation consists of strips of helically wound compound impregnated paper to be wound upon the conductor, the combination of a trough through which the conductor is passed and axially rotated, and guiding means for said conductor within the trough constructed and located to prevent the conductor while pass ing through the trough from being drawn or deviating from a straight line of travel.

2 In apparatus as claimed in claim No. 1 the guiding means consisting of a series of roller units fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollers surrounding and guiding the conductor.

3, In apparatus as claimed in claim No. 1, the said guiding means consisting of aseries of roller units fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollerssurrounding and guiding the conductor and consisting of three rollers equispaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the axis of the conductor.

4:. In apparatus as claimed in claim No. 1, the said guiding means consisting of a series of roller units fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollers surrounding and guiding the conductor and consisting of three rollers equispaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the axis 01":

the conductor, a carriage for supporting said roller units, and means for limiting the position of carriage along the trough.

5. In apparatus as claimed in claim N o. 1, the said guiding means consisting of a series of rollernnits fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollers surrounding and guiding the conductor and consisting of three rollers equispaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the axis of the conductor, a carriage for supporting said roller units, and means for locating the position of carriage along the trough, said locating means comprising a U-shaped member stretching over the edge of the trough and having a binding screw, and a rail projected along the bottom of the trough with which a projection on the carriage engages.

6. In apparatus as claimed in claim No. l, the said guiding means consisting of a series of roller units fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollers surrounding and guiding the conductor and consisting of three rollers equispaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the axis of the conductor, a carriage for supporting said roller units, a mounting for the rollers in the carriage comprising hinged brackets geared together with resilient moans foreing the rollers towards the conductor and whereby they can be caused to recede from the conductor. I

7. In apparatus as claimed in claim No. 1, the said guiding means consisting of a series of roller units fixed at intervals along the trough, each unit of rollers surrounding and guiding the conductor and consisting of three rollers equispaced around the conductor with their axes parallel to the axis of the conductor, a carriage for supporting said roller units, a mounting for the rollers in the carriage comprising hinged brackets geared together With resilient means forcing the rollers towards the conductor and whereby they can be caused to recede from the conductor, said resilient means consisting of a helical spring reacting between the carriage and a rod moving guides, said spring actuating the brackets and being controlled by a handle and cam.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES JAMES BEAVER. 

